The Strong Waddler Wins the Ballater Duck Festival 2026

The crowds gathered, the ducks were ready, and the River Dee once again played host to one of Royal Deeside’s most enjoyable community events — the Ballater Duck Festival 2026.

Held in the heart of Ballater, the day brought together locals, visitors, families, volunteers, and businesses for a brilliant celebration of village life, local stalls, food, entertainment, and, of course, the famous giant duck race.

The Giant Duck Race

The main event saw twelve giant ducks take to the River Dee, each sponsored by a local Ballater business. From Leonardo Duck to Cheese and Quackers, Scotchy, Quack Shack and more, every duck had its supporters cheering from the riverbank.

But after a hard-fought race, there could only be one winner.

Duck No. 10 – The Strong Waddler Takes Victory - Fastest Duck in Town

This year’s champion was Duck No. 10 – The Strong Waddler, proudly sponsored by us!

The Strong Waddler powered down the River Dee with style, determination, and just the right amount of duck-powered luck to claim first place in the 2026 Ballater Duck Race.

As a Ballater whisky shop and independent drinks merchant in Royal Deeside, we were delighted to be part of such a fantastic local event — and even more delighted to see our duck bring home the win.

A Brilliant Day for Ballater

The Ballater Duck Festival is about far more than just the race. It is a celebration of the village, its people, its independent businesses, and the community spirit that makes Ballater such a special place to visit.

Throughout the day, visitors enjoyed stalls, activities, food, local produce and plenty of family-friendly fun. Events like this show exactly why Ballater continues to be one of the most loved destinations in Royal Deeside.

Thank You to the Organisers and Volunteers

A huge thank you goes to everyone involved in organising the Ballater Duck Festival 2026 — from the volunteers and sponsors to the local businesses and everyone who came along to support the day.

Community events like this take a huge amount of work behind the scenes, and the result was a fantastic day for Ballater.

Visit The Strong Water Co. in Ballater and Banchory

Whether you joined us for the Duck Festival, are visiting Royal Deeside, or are looking for a great bottle to take home, pop in and see us at The Strong Water Co.

You can visit our Ballater whisky shop or our Banchory whisky shop, where you will find a carefully selected range of whisky, wine, gin, rum, beer, and spirits.